Offshore oil and natural gas platform systems rely upon above sea platforms that support drilling and/or processing equipment to extract resources from subsea wells. The above sea platforms are mounted through a system of supports that extend from the offshore platform to the sea floor. Often times the supports are adjustable to account for changing sea and/or weather conditions. The supports position the above platform above a surface of the sea and include drilling systems, transport systems, support systems, such as electrical power generation, and crew accommodation systems. In addition to above sea platforms, many offshore platform systems include subsea platforms that support various systems at or near the sea floor.
Subsea platforms include subsea systems that support the above sea platforms with extraction, storage, and transport of resources such as oil and natural gas. Sub-systems are transported to a particular site, submerged, integrated to form one or more subsea systems, and tested. Current technology limits that transport and positioning of each sub-system to about 500 metric tons (MT). Therefore, the installation of a subsea platform may be a lengthy process depending upon the size, weight, and number of sub-systems. More specifically, a subsea system may require multiple support ships to transport and position each sub-system as well as a lengthy construction and testing phase prior to being ready to support the above sea platform.